Summer Kitchen Bake Shop

The best of two worlds come together in Summer Kitchen Bake Shop on College Avenue. On the one hand, the charming little space fits right into the line of neighboring shops stocked with specialty products and high price tags. On the other hand, it also feels like a refreshing foray to another place – the sunny cheer of the countryside.

As you walk into the bright Summer Kitchen, your gaze will inadvertently steer toward the countertop stocked with goodies – cupcakes dolled up with colorful frosting, tarts crowned with bright, seasonal fruits, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, and loaf cakes of different varieties. As you stare, pondering about having dessert before lunch, the best part is knowing everything here is freshly baked, just like in the country kitchen. 

Chefs and owners Paul Arenstam and Charlene Reis created their bake shop around summer farm traditions. The kind where the eggs you whip are fresh from the chickens in the yard and the veggies in your soup were hand-cut just minutes before. While there are no chickens clucking around out back, the bake shop does use seasonal ingredients from local farms and organic products from local food artisans. The coffee’s fair-trade and the to-go boxes are biodegradable. And you don’t have to worry about high fructose corn syrup hidden in those cupcakes.

All the thought that goes into food preparation really comes out in flavor. After tasting the bacon, avocado, piquillo pepper, and wild arugula sandwich here, you’ll never look at a BLT the same way again. The Berkshire BBQ pulled pork sandwich with slaw & pickles is tender and savory, with just the right combination of ingredients.

In addition to sandwiches, you can also choose from pizzas like the Hobb’s Pepperoni with Tomato, Mozzarella & Oregano, the Sweet White Brentwood Corn, Cherry Tomato, and Wild Arugula, and the Housemade Sausage with Red Onion and Fennell Pollen. Dinner specials change nightly, and if you’re stopping by on the way to a summer picnic of your own, provisions like fried chicken, curried chicken salad, meatballs, and various salads are also available.

HelloOakland tip: If you're not opting for a take-away lunch, small parties can sit together in the Bake Shop's single table. You can also sit at the counter by the fire-burning stove.
 

- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Renee M. Rutledge

Renee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.